5,000,000 Shares ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION Common Stock, $0.001 par value UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
5,000,000 Shares
ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION
Common Stock, $0.001 par value
March [•], 2011
Barclays Capital Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Acacia Research Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to sell an
aggregate of 5,000,000 shares (the “Firm Stock”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001
per share (the “Common Stock”). In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the Barclays Capital
Inc. (the “Underwriter”) pursuant to this agreement (this “Agreement”) an option to purchase up to
an aggregate of 750,000 additional shares of the Common Stock on the terms set forth in Section 2
(the “Option Stock”). The Firm Stock and the Option Stock, if purchased, are hereinafter
collectively called the “Stock.” This is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the
Stock from the Company by the Underwriter.
1. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company. The Company represents,
warrants and agrees that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 relating to the Stock (i) has been prepared by
the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) thereunder; (ii) has been filed with
the Commission under the Securities Act; and (iii) is effective under the Securities Act.
Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto have been delivered by the
Company to the Underwriter. As used in this Agreement:
(i) “Applicable Time” means [ ] [a.m./[p.m.] (New York City time) March
[•], 2011;
(ii) “Effective Date” means any date as of which any part of such registration
statement relating to the Stock became, or is deemed to have become, effective under
the Securities Act in accordance with the Rules and Regulations;
(iii) “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means each “free writing prospectus” (as
defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations) prepared by or
on behalf of the Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection
with the offering of the Stock;
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(iv) “Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary prospectus relating to the
Stock included in such registration statement or filed with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations, including any preliminary prospectus
supplement thereto relating to the Stock;
(v) “Pricing Disclosure Package” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with the information included in Schedule 3
hereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by the Company on or
before the Applicable Time, other than a road show that is an Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus under Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations;
(vi) “Prospectus” means the final prospectus relating to the Stock, including
the final prospectus supplement thereto relating to the Stock, as filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations; and
(vii) “Registration Statement” means, collectively, the various parts of such
registration statement, each as amended as of the Effective Date for such part,
including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and all exhibits to such
registration statement.
Any reference to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to
and include any documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Form S-3 under the
Securities Act as of the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case
may be. Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer
to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed
pursuant to Rule 424(b) prior to or on the date hereof (including, for purposes hereof, any
documents incorporated by reference therein prior to or on the date hereof). Any reference
to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be
deemed to refer to and include any document filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the “Exchange Act”), after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus, as the case may be, and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus
or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to include any annual report of the Company on Form
10-K filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after
the Effective Date that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. The
Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement,
and no proceeding or examination for such purpose has been instituted or threatened by the
Commission. The Commission has not notified the Company of any objection to the use of the
form of the Registration Statement.
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(b) The Company has been since the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement
and continues to be a “well-known seasoned issuer” (as defined in Rule 405) eligible to use
Form S-3 for the offering of the Stock, including not having been an “ineligible
issuer” (as defined in Rule 405) at any such time or date. The Registration Statement is an
“automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405) and was filed not earlier
than the date that is three years prior to the applicable Delivery Date (as defined in
Section 4).
(c) The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects on
the Effective Date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and any amendment to the
Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects
when filed, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. The
most recent Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and the Prospectus will conform, in all
material respects when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the
applicable Delivery Date to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and
Regulations. The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus conformed, and any further documents so incorporated will conform, when filed
with the Commission, in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act or the
Securities Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(d) The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that no representation
or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein or omission therefrom, which
information is specified in Section 8(e).
(e) The Prospectus will not, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery Date,
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or
warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter
specifically for inclusion therein or omission therefrom, which information is specified in
Section 8(e).
(f) The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein
will not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
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(g) The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained
in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion
therein or omission therefrom, which information is specified in Section 8(e).
(h) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including, without limitation, any road show
that is a free writing prospectus under Rule 433), when considered together with the Pricing
Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading.
(i) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations on the date
of first use, and the Company has complied with any filing requirements applicable to such
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Rules and Regulations. The Company has not
made any offer relating to the Stock that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
without the prior written consent of the Underwriter. The Company has retained in
accordance with the Rules and Regulations all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not
required to be filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations.
(j) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries (as defined in Section 16) has been duly
organized, is validly existing and in good standing as a corporation or other business
entity under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and is duly qualified to do
business and in good standing as a foreign corporation or other business entity in each
jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its businesses
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing
could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties,
business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material
Adverse Effect”); each of the Company and its subsidiaries has all power and authority
necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the businesses in which it is
engaged. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation,
association or other entity other than Acacia Intellectual Property Fund, L.P. and the
subsidiaries listed in Schedule 4 hereto.
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(k) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in each of the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital
stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable, conform to the description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and were issued in compliance with federal and state securities
laws and not in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal
or similar right. All of the Company’s options, warrants and other rights to purchase or
exchange any securities for shares of the Company’s capital stock have been duly authorized
and validly issued, conform to the description thereof contained in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus and were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws.
All of the issued shares of capital stock or other ownership interests of each wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all
liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for such liens, encumbrances, equities or
claims as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(l) The shares of the Stock to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriter
hereunder have been duly authorized and, upon payment and delivery in accordance with this
Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will conform to the
description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, will be issued in
compliance with federal and state securities laws and will be free of statutory and
contractual preemptive rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights.
(m) The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and
perform its obligations under this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and validly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(n) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the application of the proceeds
from the sale of the Stock as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any
of the terms or provisions of, impose any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which
the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is subject; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or
by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or
(iii) result in any violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court
or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets, except in the case of clause (i), to the
extent any such conflict, breach, violation, lien, charge, encumbrance or default could not,
in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(o) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing or registration with,
any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets is required for the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, the application of the proceeds from the sale of the
Stock as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except
for the registration of the Stock under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals,
authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Exchange Act
and applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and sale of the Stock
by the Underwriter.
(p) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any
person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration
statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to
be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the
securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being
registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the
Securities Act.
(q) The Company has not sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the
offering of the Stock contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the
Rules and Regulations or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.
(r) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus,
any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity,
whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental
action, order or decree, and since such date, there has not been any change in the capital
stock, long-term debt or net current assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any
adverse change, or any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or affecting
the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity,
properties, management, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a
whole, in each case except as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(s) Since the date as of which information is given in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Company
has not (i) incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than
liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii)
entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business or (iii)
declared or paid any dividend on its capital stock.
(t) The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting
schedules) included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus
comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the
Securities Act and present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash
flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby at the dates and for the periods
indicated and have been prepared in conformity with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis
throughout the periods involved.
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(u) Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company
and its consolidated subsidiaries, whose report appears in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus or is incorporated by reference therein and who have delivered the initial letter
referred to in Section 7(g) hereof, are independent public accountants as required by the
Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(v) The statistical and market-related data included under the captions “Business,”
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,”
“Industry Overview,” and “Our Business” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the
consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or
incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus are based on or derived
from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(w) Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is, and as of the applicable Delivery Date
and, after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Stock and the application of the
proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus, none of them will be, (i) an “investment company” within the
meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment
Company Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder or (ii) a
“business development company” (as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company
Act).
(x) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, there are no legal
or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a
party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the
subject that could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect or could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect
on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby; and to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated
by governmental authorities or others.
(y) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, no relationship,
direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company, on the one hand, and the directors,
officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company, on the other hand, that is
required to be described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus which
is not so described.
(z) No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company or its subsidiaries exists or,
to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
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(aa) (i) Each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the
Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)) for which the Company or any
member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a
controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each a “Plan”) has been
maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable
statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code; (ii) with respect to each Plan
subject to Title IV of ERISA (a) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section
4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (b) no “accumulated
funding deficiency” (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code),
whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (c) the fair market
value of the assets under each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under
such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan) and (d) neither the
Company nor any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur,
any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in the ordinary course and without default) in
respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section
4001(c)(3) of ERISA); and (iii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section
401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure
to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(bb) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and
foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof,
subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due thereon, and no tax deficiency
has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor does the
Company have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies that could, in the aggregate, reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(cc) There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or
the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance by the Company
or sale by the Company of the Stock.
(dd) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is in violation of its charter
or by-laws (or similar organizational documents), (ii) is in default, and no event has
occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the
due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which
it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject
or (iii) is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it or its property or assets or has
failed to obtain any license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental
authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct of its
business, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent any such
conflict, breach, violation or default could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(ee) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the
Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with the provisions
of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection
therewith.
(ff) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have such permits, licenses, patents,
franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or
regulatory authorities (“Permits”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their
properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing that could not, in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Company and its
subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to the Permits,
and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow,
revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the
holder or any such Permits, except for any of the foregoing that could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(gg) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable
terms, all rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and
other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or
procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names and all goodwill associated with the
use of the same, including the right to xxx for past, present and future infringement,
misappropriation or dilution of any of the same currently employed by them in connection
with the business now operated by them (the “Company Intellectual Property”). Except as
described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) there are no third parties who have
or will be able to establish rights to any Company Intellectual Property, except for the
retained rights of the owners of the Company Intellectual Property which is licensed to the
Company; (ii) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit,
proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s rights or any of its subsidiaries’
rights in or to any Company Intellectual Property, and neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is aware of any facts which could form a reasonable basis for any such actions,
suits, proceedings or claims; (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, none of the Company
Intellectual Property used by the Company or any of its subsidiaries which is necessary to
the conduct of its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted by the Company
or any of its subsidiaries in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus has been obtained or is
being used by the Company and its subsidiaries in violation of any contractual obligation
binding on the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Except as would not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, there is no pending or, to the Company’s
knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity,
enforceability or scope of any Company Intellectual Property.
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(hh) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (A) there are no
proceedings that are pending, or known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its
subsidiaries under any laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees,
permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority, including without
limitation any international, national, state, provincial, regional, or local authority,
relating to the protection of human health or safety, the environment, or natural resources,
or to hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental
Laws”) in which a governmental authority is also a party, other than such proceedings
regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be
imposed, (B) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any issues regarding
compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental
Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that
could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings
or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (C) none of the Company
and its subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to Environmental
Laws.
(ii) No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from
paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s
capital stock or other equity interests, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances
to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property
or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus.
(jj) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the
Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on
behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, has (i) used any corporate funds for any
unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political
activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic
government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of
any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe,
rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.
(kk) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at
all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements
of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money
laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any
related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any
governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or
proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any
arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money
Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened, except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
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(ll) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the
Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of
Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not
directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise
make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or
entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any
U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(mm) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of any Delivery
Date and completion of the distribution of the Stock, will not distribute any offering
material in connection with the offering and sale of the Stock other than any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Underwriter has
consented in accordance with Section 1(i) or Section 5(vii).
(nn) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to or that has constituted or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result
in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of the shares of the Stock.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriter or
counsel for the Underwriter in connection with the offering of the Stock shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Purchase of the Stock by the Underwriter. On the basis of the representations and
warranties contained in, and subject to the terms and conditions of, this Agreement, the Company
agrees to sell 5,000,000 shares of the Firm Stock to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to
purchase the number of shares of the Firm Stock set forth opposite that Underwriter’s name in
Schedule 1 hereto.
In addition, the Company grants to the Underwriter an option to purchase up to
750,000 additional shares of Option Stock. Such option is exercisable in the event that the
Underwriter sell more shares of Common Stock than the number of shares of Firm Stock and as set
forth in Section 4 hereof. The Underwriter agrees to purchase the number of shares of Option Stock
that bears the same proportion to the total number of shares of Option Stock to be sold on such
Delivery Date as the number of shares of Firm Stock set forth in Schedule 1 hereto opposite
the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of shares of Firm Stock.
The price of both the Firm Stock and any Option Stock purchased by the Underwriters shall be
$[•] per share.
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The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Firm Stock or Option Stock to be
delivered on the applicable Delivery Date, except upon payment for all such Stock to be purchased
on such Delivery Date as provided herein.
3. Offering of Stock by the Underwriter. Upon authorization by the Underwriter of the
release of the Firm Stock, the Underwriter proposes to offer the Firm Stock for sale upon the terms
and conditions to be set forth in the Prospectus.
4. Delivery of and Payment for the Stock. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Stock
shall be made at [10:00] A.M., New York City time, on the third full business day following the
date of this Agreement or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between
the Underwriter and the Company. This date and time are sometimes referred to as the “Initial
Delivery Date.” Delivery of the Firm Stock shall be made to the Underwriter for its own account
against payment by the Underwriter of the aggregate purchase price of the Firm Stock being sold by
the Company to or upon the order of the Company of the purchase price by wire transfer in
immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Company. Time shall be of the essence,
and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of
the obligation of the Underwriter hereunder. The Company shall deliver the Firm Stock through the
facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Underwriter shall otherwise instruct.
The option granted in Section 2 will expire 30 days after the date of this Agreement and may
be exercised in whole or from time to time in part by written notice being given to the Company by
the Underwriter; provided that if such expiration date falls on a day that is not a business day,
the option granted in Section 2 will expire on the next succeeding business day. Such notice shall
set forth the aggregate number of shares of Option Stock as to which the option is being exercised,
the names in which the shares of Option Stock are to be registered, the denominations in which the
shares of Option Stock are to be issued and the date and time, as determined by the Underwriter,
when the shares of Option Stock are to be delivered; provided, however, that this date and time
shall not be earlier than the Initial Delivery Date nor earlier than the second business day after
the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after
the date on which the option shall have been exercised. Each date and time the shares of Option
Stock are delivered is sometimes referred to as an “Option Stock Delivery Date,” and the Initial
Delivery Date and any Option Stock Delivery Date are sometimes each referred to as a “Delivery
Date.”
Delivery of the Option Stock by the Company and payment for the Option Stock by the
Underwriter shall be made at [10:00] A.M., New York City time, on the date specified in the
corresponding notice described in the preceding paragraph or at such other date or place as shall
be determined by agreement between the Underwriter and the Company. On the Option Stock Delivery
Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered the Option Stock to the Underwriter for
its own account against payment by the Underwriter of the aggregate purchase price of the Option
Stock being sold by the Company to or upon the order of the Company of the purchase price by wire
transfer in immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Company. Time shall be of
the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further
condition of the obligation of the Underwriter hereunder. The
Company shall deliver the Option Stock through the facilities of DTC unless the Underwriter
shall otherwise instruct.
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5. Further Agreements of the Company and the Underwriter. (a) The Company agrees:
(i) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Underwriter and to file such
Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s
close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this
Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus prior to the last Delivery Date except as provided herein; to advise the
Underwriter, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment or
supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the
Underwriter with copies thereof; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or
information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to
Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the
Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with
the offering or sale of the Stock; to advise the Underwriter, promptly after it receives
notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order
preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of
the suspension of the qualification of the Stock for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,
of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding or examination for any such purpose, of
any notice from the Commission objecting to the use of the form of the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or of any request by the Commission for
the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of
any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its
best efforts to obtain its withdrawal;
(ii) To pay the applicable Commission filing fees relating to the Stock within the time
required by Rule 456(b)(1) without regard to the proviso therein;
(iii) To furnish promptly to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter a signed
copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission, and each
amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed
therewith;
(iv) To deliver promptly to the Underwriter such number of the following documents as
the Underwriter shall reasonably request: (A) conformed copies of the Registration Statement
as originally filed with the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding
exhibits other than this Agreement and the computation of per share earnings), (B) each
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus, (C) each
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and
14
(D) any document incorporated by reference in any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus; and, if the
delivery of a prospectus is required at any time after the date hereof in connection
with the offering or sale of the Stock or any other securities relating thereto and if at
such time any events shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended
or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading,
or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus or
to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in
order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Underwriter and,
upon its request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to the
Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Underwriter may from time
to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus that will correct such
statement or omission or effect such compliance;
(v) To file promptly with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus that may, in the judgment of the Company or the
Underwriter, be required by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission;
(vi) Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, any document incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus or any amendment to any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, to
furnish a copy thereof to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter and obtain the
consent of the Underwriter to the filing;
(vii) Not to make any offer relating to the Stock that would constitute an Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Underwriter.
(viii) To comply with all applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect to any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and if at any time after the date hereof any events shall
have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or
supplemented, would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or,
if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, to notify the Underwriter and, upon its request, to file such document and to
prepare and furnish without charge to the Underwriter as many copies as the Underwriter may
from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus that will correct such conflict, statement or omission or effect such compliance;
(ix) As soon as practicable after the Effective Date and in any event not later than 16
months after the date hereof, to make generally available to the Company’s security holders
and to deliver to the Underwriter an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries
(which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the Rules
and Regulations;
15
(x) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Underwriter may reasonably
request to qualify the Stock for offering and sale under the securities laws of Canada and
such other jurisdictions as the Underwriter may request and to comply with such laws so as
to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as
may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Stock; provided that in connection
therewith the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation in any
jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file a general
consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation
in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject;
(xi) For a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 90th day after the
date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), not to, directly or indirectly, (1) offer for
sale, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is
designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in
the future of) any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for
Common Stock (other than the Stock and shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans,
qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans existing on the date
hereof), or sell or grant options, rights or warrants with respect to any shares of Common
Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock (other than the grant
of options pursuant to option plans existing on the date hereof), (2) enter into any swap or
other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the
economic benefits or risks of ownership of such shares of Common Stock, whether any such
transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common
Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) file or cause to be filed a
registration statement, including any amendments, with respect to the registration of any
shares of Common Stock or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common
Stock or any other securities of the Company (other than any registration statement on Form
S-8) or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case without
the prior written consent of the Underwriter, and to cause each officer and director of the
Company set forth on Schedule 2 hereto to furnish to the Underwriter, prior to the
Initial Delivery Date, a letter or letters, substantially in the form of Exhibit A
hereto (the “Lock-Up Agreements”); notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17
days of the Lock-Up Period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a
material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up
Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period
beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, then the restrictions imposed in this
paragraph shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the
issuance of the earnings release or the announcement of the material news or the occurrence
of the material event, unless the Underwriter waives such extension in writing;
(xii) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Stock being sold by the Company as
set forth in the Prospectus;
16
(b) The Underwriter agrees that the Underwriter shall not include any “issuer information” (as
defined in Rule 433) in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) used or referred to
by the Underwriter without the prior consent of the Company (any such issuer information with
respect to whose use the Company has given its consent, “Permitted Issuer Information”); provided
that (i) no such consent shall be required with respect to any such issuer information contained in
any document filed by the Company with the Commission prior to the use of such free writing
prospectus and (ii) “issuer information,” as used in this Section 5(b), shall not be deemed to
include information prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter on the basis of or derived from
issuer information.
6. Expenses. The Company agrees, whether or not the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay all costs, expenses, fees and
taxes incident to and in connection with (a) the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the
Stock and any stamp duties or other taxes payable in that connection, and the preparation and
printing of certificates for the Stock; (b) the preparation, printing and filing under the
Securities Act of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto; (c) the distribution of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto, or any document incorporated by reference therein, all as provided in this
Agreement; (d) the production and distribution of this Agreement and any other related documents in
connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Stock; (e) any required review by
the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (the “FINRA”) of the terms of sale of the Stock; (f)
the inclusion of the Stock on The NASDAQ Global Select Market and/or any other exchange; (g) the
qualification of the Stock under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in
Section 5(x) and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum; (h) the
preparation, printing and distribution of one or more versions of the Preliminary Prospectus and
the Prospectus for distribution in Canada, often in the form of a Canadian “wrapper”; (i) the
investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Stock,
including, without limitation, expenses associated with any electronic roadshow, travel and lodging
expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and the cost of any aircraft chartered
in connection with the road show; and (j) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance
of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement; provided that, except as provided in this
Section 6 and in Section 10, the Underwriter shall pay its own costs and expenses, including the
costs and expenses of its counsel, any transfer taxes on the Stock which they may sell and the
expenses of advertising any offering of the Stock made by the Underwriter.
7. Conditions of Underwriter’s Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter hereunder are
subject to the accuracy, when made and on each Delivery Date, of the representations and warranties
of the Company contained herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder,
and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:
17
(a) The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with
Section 5(i); the Company shall have complied with all filing requirements applicable to any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus used or referred to after the date hereof; no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the
use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued and no
proceeding or examination for such purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the
Commission; any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional information in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with; and the
Commission shall not have notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of
the Registration Statement.
(b) The Underwriter shall have not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or
prior to such Delivery Date that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing
Disclosure Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of
a fact which, in the opinion of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, is
material or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is
required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(c) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization,
form and validity of this Agreement, the Stock, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus
and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all other legal matters relating to this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all
material respects to counsel for the Underwriter, and the Company shall have furnished to
such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them
to pass upon such matters.
(d) Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxx shall have furnished to the Underwriter its written
opinion, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriter and dated such Delivery
Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter, substantially in the
form attached hereto as Exhibit B.
(e) The Company’s General Counsel shall have furnished to the Underwriter its written
opinion addressed to the Underwriter and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
(f) The Underwriter shall have received from Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the
Underwriter, such opinion or opinions, dated such Delivery Date, with respect to the
issuance and sale of the Stock, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing
Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Underwriter may reasonably require, and
the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request
for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
18
(g) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Underwriter shall have received
from Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter,
addressed to the Underwriter and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that they are
independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in
compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants
under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof
(or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as
of which specified financial information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus,
as of a date not more than three days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and
findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily
covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered
public offerings.
(h) With respect to the letter of Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP referred to in the preceding
paragraph and delivered to the Underwriter concurrently with the execution of this Agreement
(the “initial letter”), the Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter a letter (the
“bring-down letter”) of such accountants, addressed to the Underwriter and dated such
Delivery Date (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning
of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the
qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission,
(ii) stating, as of the date of the bring-down letter (or, with respect to matters involving
changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial
information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the
date of the bring-down letter), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to
the financial information and other matters covered by the initial letter and
(iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the
initial letter.
(i) The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter a certificate, dated such
Delivery Date, of its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer stating that:
(i) The representations, warranties and agreements of the Company in Section 1
are true and correct on and as of such Delivery Date, and the Company has complied
with all its agreements contained herein and satisfied all the conditions on its
part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Delivery Date;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
has been issued; no proceedings or examination for that purpose have been instituted
or, to the knowledge of such officers, threatened; and the Commission has not
notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto; and
19
(iii) They have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus
and the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, in their opinion, (A) (1) the
Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, (2) the Prospectus, as of its
date and on the applicable Delivery Date, or (3) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as
of the Applicable Time, did not and do not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact and did not and do not omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of
the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made) not misleading, and (B) since the Effective Date, no event has occurred that
should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that has not been so
set forth;
(j) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained, since the date of the latest
audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion,
flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or
court or governmental action, order or decree or (ii) since such date there shall not have
been any change in the capital stock, long-term debt or net current assets of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in
or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’
equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is,
in the judgment of the Underwriter, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Stock being delivered
on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(k) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have
occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock
Exchange, the NASDAQ Stock Market or the NYSE Amex Equities or in the over-the-counter
market, or trading in any securities of the Company on the New York Stock Exchange, the
NASDAQ Stock Market or the NYSE Amex Equities or in the over-the-counter market, shall have
been suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading generally shall have
been materially disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange
or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or
governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been
declared by federal or state authorities, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged
in hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United
States or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United
States or (iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic,
political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist
activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial
markets in the United States shall be such), as to make it, in the judgment of the
Underwriter, impracticable or inadvisable to
proceed with the public offering or delivery of the Stock being delivered on such
Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
20
(l) The Lock-Up Agreements between the Underwriter and the officers and directors of
the Company set forth on Schedule 2, delivered to the Underwriter on or before the
date of this Agreement, shall be in full force and effect on such Delivery Date.
All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this
Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriter.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its directors,
officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or
liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited
to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Stock),
to which the Underwriter, director, officer, employee or controlling person may become
subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B) any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (C) any
Permitted Issuer Information used or referred to in any “free writing prospectus” (as
defined in Rule 405) used or referred to by the Underwriter, (D) any “road show” (as defined
in Rule 433) not constituting an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (a “Non-Prospectus Road
Show”) or (E) any Blue Sky application or other document prepared or executed by the Company
(or based upon any written information furnished by the Company for use therein)
specifically for the purpose of qualifying any or all of the Stock under the securities laws
of any state or other jurisdiction (any such application, document or information being
hereinafter called a “Blue Sky Application”) or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to
state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer
Information, any Non-Prospectus Road Show or any Blue Sky Application, any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
and shall reimburse the Underwriter and each such director, officer, employee or controlling
person promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the
Underwriter, director, officer, employee or controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or
action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any such amendment or supplement
thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Non-Prospectus Road Show or any
Blue Sky Application, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning
the Underwriter furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion
therein or omission therefrom, which information consists solely of the information
specified in Section 8(e). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any
liability which the Company may otherwise have to the Underwriter or to any director,
officer, employee or controlling person of the Underwriter.
21
(b) The Underwriter shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors
(including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement
as about to become a director of the Company), officers and employees, and each person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, from
and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect
thereof, to which the Company or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person
may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any
amendment or supplement thereto or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show or Blue Sky Application,
or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any
amendment or supplement thereto or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show or Blue Sky Application,
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information concerning the Underwriter furnished to the Company by the
Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is limited to the
information set forth in Section 8(e). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to
any liability that the Underwriter may otherwise have to the Company or any such director,
officer, employee or controlling person.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of
any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in
respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided,
however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any
liability which it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially
prejudiced by such failure and, provided, further, that the failure to notify the
indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an
indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such claim or action shall be
brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof,
the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it
wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense
thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After
notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume
the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the
indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred
by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs
of investigation; provided, however, that the indemnified party shall have the right to
employ counsel to represent jointly the indemnified party and those other indemnified
parties and their respective directors, officers, employees and controlling persons who may
be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought
under this Section 8 if (i) the indemnified party and the indemnifying party shall have so
mutually agreed; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; (iii) the indemnified party and
its directors, officers, employees and controlling persons shall have reasonably concluded
that there may be legal defenses available to them that are different from or in addition to
those available to the indemnifying party; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding
(including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified parties or their respective
directors, officers, employees or controlling persons, on the one hand, and the indemnifying
party, on the other hand, and representation of both sets of parties by the same counsel
would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them, and in
any such event the fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be paid by the
indemnifying party.
22
No indemnifying party shall (i) without the prior written consent of
the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or
compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened
claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be
sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to
such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an
unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such
claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include any findings of fact or admissions of
fault or culpability as to the indemnified party, or (ii) be liable for any settlement of
any such action effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if
there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or
liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any reason be
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a), or
8(b) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof,
referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a
result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such
proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company,
on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, from the offering of the Stock or (ii)
if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred
to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and
the Underwriter, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in
such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the
one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, with respect to such offering shall be deemed
to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Stock
purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set
forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter with respect to the
shares of the Stock purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover
page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by
reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission
or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company
or the Underwriter, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
23
The Company
and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant
to this Section 8(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of
allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein.
The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or
liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 8(d) shall be
deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 8(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such
action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(d), the Underwriter shall
not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds
from the sale of the Stock underwritten by it exceeds the amount of any damages that the
Underwriter has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
(e) The Underwriter confirms and the Company acknowledges and agrees that the
statements regarding delivery of shares by the Underwriter set forth on the cover page of,
and the concession and reallowance figures and the paragraph relating to stabilization by
the Underwriter appearing under the caption “Underwriting” in, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning the
Underwriter furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriter
specifically for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or
in any Non-Prospectus Road Show.
9. Termination. The obligations of the Underwriter hereunder may be terminated by the
Underwriter by notice given to and received by the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the
Firm Stock if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Sections
7(j) and 7(k) shall have occurred or if the Underwriter shall decline to purchase the Stock
for any reason permitted under this Agreement.
10. Reimbursement of Underwriter’s Expenses. If the Company shall fail to tender the Stock
for delivery to the Underwriter for any reason or (b) the Underwriter shall decline to purchase the
Stock for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriter for
all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by the
Underwriter in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase of the Stock, and upon
demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Underwriter.
24
11. Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriter’s research
analysts and research department are required to be independent from its investment banking
division and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that the Underwriter’s
research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish
research reports with respect to the Company and/or the offering that differ from the views of its
investment banking division. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriter with respect to any
conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by its independent
research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or
advice communicated to the Company by the Underwriter’s investment banking division. The Company
acknowledges that the Underwriter is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time,
subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account
of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies
that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
12. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company acknowledges and agrees that in connection with this
offering, sale of the Stock or any other services the Underwriter may be deemed to be providing
hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties
or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Underwriter: (i)
no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Company and any other person, on the one hand, and
the Underwriter, on the other, exists; (ii) the Underwriter is not acting as an advisor, expert or
otherwise, to the Company, including, without limitation, with respect to the determination of the
public offering price of the Stock, and such relationship between the Company, on the one hand, and
the Underwriter, on the other, is entirely and solely commercial, based on arms-length
negotiations; (iii) any duties and obligations that the Underwriter may have to the Company shall
be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (iv) the Underwriter and
its affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company hereby waives
any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriter with respect to any breach of
fiduciary duty in connection with this offering.
13. Notices, Etc. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and:
(a) if to the Underwriter, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile
transmission to Barclays Capital Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000,
Attention: Syndicate Registration, with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant
to Section 8(c), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel,
Barclays Capital Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000;
(b) if to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile
transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement,
Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Chief Financial Officer (Fax: (000) 000-0000); and
Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt
thereof. The Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or
agreement given by the Underwriter.
25
14. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the Underwriter, the Company and their respective successors. This Agreement
and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that (A)
the representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Company contained in this
Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors, officers and employees of
the Underwriter and each person or persons, if any, who control the Underwriter within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Securities Act and (B) the indemnity agreement of the Underwriter contained in
Section 8(b) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors of the
Company, the officers of the Company who have signed the Registration Statement and any person
controlling the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act. Nothing in this
Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to
in this Section 14, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this
Agreement or any provision contained herein.
15. Survival. The respective indemnities, representations, warranties and agreements of the
Company and the Underwriter contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them,
respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Stock
and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of
any of them or any person controlling any of them.
16. Definition of the Terms “Business Day” and “Subsidiary”. For purposes of this Agreement,
(a) “business day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a day on
which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive
order to close and (b) “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405.
17. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York.
18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed
in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but
all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
19. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not
intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
26
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement between the Company and the Underwriter,
please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.
Very truly yours, ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
27
Accepted: Barclays Capital Inc. |
||||
By: | ||||
Authorized Representative | ||||
SCHEDULE 1
Number of Shares of | ||||
Underwriter | Firm Stock | |||
Barclays Capital Inc. |
5,000,000 | |||
Total |
5,000,000 | |||
SCHEDULE 2
PERSONS DELIVERING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS
Directors
Officers
SCHEDULE 3
1. The following pricing information provided orally by the Underwriter:
• [ ]
SCHEDULE 4
[List of Subsidiaries]
Exhibit A
FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER AGREEMENT
[attached]
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF OPINION OF ISSUER’S COUNSEL